Folding portable closet.



P. GOFRODE.

FOLDING PORTABLE CLOSET.

APPLICATION FILED 0'01. 3, 1909.

997,270.. 1. Patented July 11, 1911..

2 sums-sum 1.

Di g

aw attomu COLUMBIA PL ANOGRAPH cp., WASHINGTON. D. c.

Par/fir Cofrode P. GOPRODE.

FOLDING PORTABLE CLOSET.

APPLI ATIQK FILED our 8, 1909.

Patented July 11, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBlA PLANUORAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. d.

PARKER COFRODE, 0F JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING PORTABLE V CLOSET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1911.

Application filed October 8, 1909. Serial No. 521,654.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PARKER OorRoDE, a citizen of the United 6 States, Iresiding ,at Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFolding Portable Closets, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide accommodationof its kind suitable to the needs of contractors, and the like, who havegangs of men working at places where such accommodations are ordinarilynot available or are located distant from the Work.

One of the important features of the invention relates to its beingfoldable, so that it will occupy but little space, making it easy tohandle and transport.

Another feature is its adaptability to different conditions, inasmuch asit can be placed over sewer drops or vaults dug in the earth. Whilepeculiarly suitable for contractors as above set forth, it may also besuccessfully employed bycamping parties,

and the like.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illust-ratedin theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of thestructure set up. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the frame-work inextended position. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. 4 is aplan view showing the frame-work folded. Fig. 5 is a detail sectionalview on the line -55 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified formof seat that may be employed. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showingone form of supporting foot. Fig. 8 .is a similar view of a modifiedform of supporting foot. Y

Similar reference numerals designate cor-- responding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the embodiment disclosed, an inclosure is employed that is foldable,and when set up, is preferably triangular in plan, as will be obvious byreference to Fig. 8. This inclosure consists of three walls 9, l0 and11, and said walls include hingedly connected frames, the frames beingformed by four standards 12, 13, 14 and 15. The standards 12, 13 and 14have suitable supporting feet. Thus, as disclosed in Fig. 7 ,said feetare in the form of horizontal plates 16 having stems 17 that arethreaded into the lower ends of the standards. This form of foot isemployed where the ground is hard or where the structure is employed ona paved street or the like. In soft grounds, each foot is in the form ofa spur 18, shown in Fig. 8, having a stop flange 19, said spur beingthreaded into the lower end of the standard. The remaining end standard15 is slightly shorter than the others, so that its lower end will nottouch the ground or surface on which the inclosure is placed. Thevarious standards are connected by horizontal cross rods 20, terminatingin cars 21, through which said standards pass. Certain of these ears arepinned to the standards, as shown at 22. Others are free to rotatethereon, and are held against longitudinal displacement by the adjacentpinned ears and by cotters 23 located thereover. It will thus be seenthat the dilferent framescan assume different relative positions, aswill be clear by a comparison of Figs. 2, 3 and 4t, but when thestructure is set up, such frames form a triangle, of which the standard15 and the cross rods 20 connected thereto, constitute a swingingdoor-frame. The frame thus produced is covered with a curtain 24:, whichis suspended by hooks 25 secured to its upper end and engaging over theuppermost set of cross rods 20.

For the convenience of the user and also in order to maintain thestructure in set up condition, a seat 26 is employed having straps 27 atone end that; surround one of the lowermost cross bars, forming journalears for said seat. The other end of this seat has terminal hooks 28that engage over the cross rod of the opposite frame. This seat may be acomparatively narrow board, as shown in Fig. 3, or a wide one, asillustrated at 26 in Fig. 6, in which case, an opening 26 is formedtherein. In order to maintain this seat in upright condition to permitthe compact folding of the frame, said-seat has an eye 29 contiguous toits free end, which eye is arranged to be engaged by a snap hook 30carried by a rod 31 that is fastened toa ring 32, this ring beingmounted on the cross rod above the rod on which the seat is journaled.

The manner of using the device will,'it is thought be obvious. It is setup with the walls disposed in triangle, the three feet, either 16 or 18supporting the frame, leaving the door so that it may be convenientlyopened and closed, and the seats preventing the opposite side walls fromapproaching each other or separating. When it is desired to transportthe structure, it is only necessary to disengage the free end of theseat from its supporting bar, and hook it to the holding rod 31. Theframe can then be compactly folded, as illustrated in Fig. 4. In thisconnection, a further feature of the invention resides in employing atop covering or canopy 50, intended to provide a cover for the top ofthe framework when folded in position for use, This top covering orcanopy preferably consists of a triangular piece of canvas fastened attwo sides, as at 51, when the structure is in position for use. Thefastenings 51 for the top covering or canopy are hooks or equivalentdevices which may be readily disen gaged or loosened when the closet isbeing prepared for transportation. By simply loosening the set offastenings 51 at one side edge of the top covering or canopy, the lattercan be neatly folded between the side walls of the structure, as will bereadily ap parent.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation andmany advan tages of the herein described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art, with out further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size,

shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A portable closet of the class described comprising a folding structureconsisting of a plurality of standards and cross-rods connecting thestandards and journaled on cer tain of the'same, said standards andcrossrods being arranged to form three folding side walls, one of saidside walls having a standard which is shorter than the others therebyforming a swinging door for closing the space between two of thestandards when the structure is arranged for use, supporting feetcarried by the longer standards, a top covering for the structure, sidecurtains for each of the folding walls, and a seat journaled on across-rod of one of the walls and having fastening means to detachablyengage the cross-rod of the opposite wall.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiiX my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

PARKER COFRODE.

Witnesses HENRY WVILSON STOREY, I. E. ROBERTS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

